One Step at a Time
by skichik
Summary: Harry is missing, presumed dead. Voldemort has been defeated. Ginny is alone, and unloved, how will she cope? (rating just to be safe)
1. Prologue: The River

**Disclaimer:** Despite my best attempts,I have not as yet been able to gain ownership of Harry Potter, althoughI shall inform you all the minute this changes. So until such time asI can proclaim from the mountain tops that I do in fact own Harry Potter I must concede defeat and tell you all that J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and not I, however temporary this arrangement may be.

**Author's Note:** I'm back with this new story, butI want lots of reviews or I'll stop posting, because i get so disheartened whenI think that no one is reading my stories. So please review, I'm open to critisism if it's justified, tell me whatI can do better, how can I improve?

**Prologue: The River**

_She ran until her face was numb with cold  
She wore a cotton gown that blazed the night untold  
She ran until her feet refused hold _

Ginny ran as hard as she could, all she cared about was being as far away from her husband, Darren, as was possible. She wore only a thin cotton nightgown but in the late spring air she was only feeling a slight chill. Finally her face was numb, her knees threatened to cave and she felt weaker than she ever had in the past. She was forced to stop when the forest around her cleared and the thick opened out to a mighty river, crashing in her path.

_And when she reached to river, her knees began to shiver_  
_Her head with pounding voices from home  
__Behind her was a vision, a painful apparition  
__Of a darker world no one should know._

Ginny stopped on the bank, staring at the mighty river before her, while she kept running she had been able to fight off the exhaustion that threatened to engulf her, but now at a stop she could fight it no longer, her knees became weak and she shivered in total exhaustion, now that she had stopped she knew that she would not be able to take another step. A single, lonely tear traced its way down her face and plunged into the river, swallowed up by the rushing currents as though it had never been there at all.

Darren's screams still echoed in her head, his words stinging deep inside, a pain that may never heal. She was living a life many never saw in their worst nightmares, yet it was all she had known for the past ten years. She wished that she could escape it all but she had nowhere to run and so she stayed.

Ginny removed the gold wedding band from her finger and let it fall into the water at her feet, that was it she was free of him.

_She dived beneath the water's icy skin_  
_Hoping the cold would kill the smell of angry gin_

Acting on impulse, Ginny leant forward, spreading her arms wide as she fell into the river's frigid waters. She allowed herself to plunge down to its very heart, let the current carry her away, far away, far from all her troubles. Who'd miss her anyway? Who really cared for her? 'No one' came the reply from deep in her mind. If anyone really cared they would have taken her, rescued her from Darren's blows and constant abuse.

_And her eyes grew wider than they'd ever been  
__Just wishing the numbness could cut deeper with its pins_

Ginny's simple nightgown floated around her like an angels wings, as she slowly rose toward the surface, her eyes turned upwards to catch a glimpse of the faintly twinkling stars so far above her. She felt her body go numb from the cold, welcoming the feeling of nothingness, just wishing the numbness could push deeper, into her soul. She wanted for all her pain to end, for all her troubles to disappear, she saw but one solution.

_And as her body lay there she decided to stay there  
__Till darkness came to pull her away  
__And beautifully she sank, as up river was a bank  
__Where some bodiless troubles would stay_

Her original plan, after plunging into the river, was to float for a while, then swim back to shore and wander aimlessly in the wood once more. But in the depths, she felt oddly safe, safer than she had for the last ten years. Closing her eyes, she gave herself to the river – she left her destiny in the hands of fate, she would float in the river until she met her end. She glanced up at the bank where she had jumped from, that was where she left all her troubles, from now she was someone else…

_Somebody's bed will never be warm again  
__The river will keep this friend  
__Yeah somebody's bed will never be warm again  
__No, never again_

The first rays of dawn saw a ragged, wild man walking by the river; he saw a flash of colour bobbing in the water, slowly a body drifted to the shore before him like driftwood to the beach. She landed face down in the rocky water's edge; carefully he turned what was surely a corpse and pushed back the wisps of bright auburn hair from the woman's beautiful face, only to find himself staring straight at…

"Ginny," the word tumbled from his lips uselessly, mingling with the roar of the river.

**A/N: **now review... please?


	2. Her Rescuer

**Author's Note:** ok thanx for all the reviews, you guys rock! And a huge thank you to Tiffany who kindly beta'd this chapter. Just to let everyone know I've almost finished witing ther epilogue so don't worry about me finishing halfway through like I've done with other fics. well on with the storyI guess...

**Chapter 1: Her Rescuer**

Shock flooded the man's body.

"No," he choked out, pulling her limp body from the icy waters, cradling her body against his in a vain attempt to warm her. Dropping to his knees in the small clearing, he placed her on the ground tenderly, seeking a pulse with trembling fingers. "Please. Please, please…" he begged quietly, as he pushed up the soaked sleeve of her nightgown and placed two fingers on the inside of her wrist. The weak, slow throb of her heartbeat was hardly noticeable, but it was there. Unthinkingly, he drew the nightgown over her head, throwing it uselessly to the side, and stripped off his jumper. Turning back to her, his breath caught. Almost every inch of her once pale body was covered in bruises and cuts of varying stages of healing.

Shaking with barely suppressed rage, he tenderly drew the jumper over her head, tugging it down until it went past her knees, leaving only her shins and feet uncovered. Hesitating for only a moment, he kicked off the soft leather shoes he had finished only three days before, and home knitted maroon socks and tenderly pulled them onto her feet, marveling absently at how small they were. Sending a silent prayer to whoever may be listening, he picked her up and started running, hardly noticing as sticks and stones cut at his feet.

The forest flashed by quickly, as he ran with reckless abandon, his body acting as a shield between her and the stray branches that tore at them. Finally, strains of gospel music reached his ears. 'Sunday,' he noted vaguely. 'How ironic.' Stumbling, he started going faster, following the sounds of the villagers' voices as they rose in prayer. Turning the corner, he saw a family rushing to get to church.

"Please! Stop!" he yelled. The little girl looked back and stopped, tugging at her mother's skirts. The woman turned as the ragged man ran up.

"Can we help you?" she asked pleasantly, not seeing the limp body in his arms.

"Please, where's the nearest hospital?" he asked, clutching Ginny's body to him. The woman looked down and gasped, eyes going wide.

"Philip, get the car! Get the car now!" she ordered her husband, starting forward. The man picked the youngest, a child of only a few months, from the stroller and ran in the opposite direction. "Put her down," she said briskly, removing her white gloves and handing them to the little girl, who immediately tucked them in the sash around her waist. Placing the tiny redhead on the ground by the side of the road, he stepped back, letting the mother tend to her.

"Thank you." Looking up, the young mother smiled kindly at him, before leaning down to place her cheek near Ginny's mouth, silently counting the seconds between each labored breath.

"How long has she…?" she started to ask.

"I found her not long ago, maybe 20 minutes, in the river. I don't know how long she's been in there," he answered, paling as people flooded from the church. "Erm, I…"

Suddenly, the man called Philip pulled up in a white sedan, and jumped from the drivers' seat. Immediately, he reached out to pick the injured girl up but was stopped by a firm hand, and he watched as the stranger leant down and picked her up as tenderly as his wife picked up their son. Straightening, the man looked up into his eyes, unshed tears glistening. Silently, Philip opened the backdoor, and smiled at him weakly. The man ducked in, cradling the woman's head in his lap.

Philip drove quickly to the hospital; he pulled into the drop off bay outside of the emergency ward, allowing for the man, carrying the small red head and his wife to get out of the car. Once they were out of the car Philip pulled away once more to find a parking space.

The ragged man followed the lady who had so calmly taken over the situation. "Ma'am what is your name?"

"Georgina Harron, but please call me Georgie."

The man nodded, following Georgie, Ginny cradled tenderly in his strong arms. For a while he followed her in silence, when she stopped at the reception desk it became clear that there was more to her than he had first thought. For as she calmly gave out instructions the surrounding staff members rushed to do as they were asked. The man was undoubtedly curious but he knew that the present moment was no time to ask. Once all the directions were being completed Georgie turned to the stranger and his charge.

"Sir, you must leave her for the time being, it's ok we will take the best possible care of her. You may wait in the relatives' room, I shall come and get you when you may see her once more." Georgie then left the young man in the care of one of her nurses, as she turned to follow Ginny on her bed.

"Sir, Sir." The nurse pulled him from his trance like state. "Sir, if you will please follow me, I'll take you through to the waiting room."

"How long will she be?"

"A few hours, and that's only for the surgery, after that who knows?"

"When can I see her?"

"Once she's on the ward and stabilized then Dr. Harron will say when you are allowed in."

The man nodded in understanding, as he took a seat in the waiting room that the nurse had lead him to. He sat in one of the large armchairs, he did not even blink at the large stack of magazines before him, and he simply stared, lost deep within his thoughts. The nurse was curious as to who this ragged man was, where had he come from? Why was he here? And why did the tiny red haired woman mean so much to him? Normally the nurses minded their own business not going further than polite conversation unless they had to know some thing for the patient's well being. But some things are to weird not to ask.

"Sir, what's your name?"

"Jack Galway." The man replied without really thinking.

"Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Um, well I live in the forest, the one down near the church."

"Alone?"

"Basically, I mean there is my owl and the other forest creatures."

"But without other humans?"

"Yes."

"How long have you lived there?"

"Hmm, that depends, what year is it?"

"Two thousand and nine."

"Really? Well in that case I've been in the forest for twelve years."

"And you've had no human contact in that time?"

"Every now-and-then a hunter would shelter in my shack during a storm, but other than that I've had no human contact."

"You- you're a hermit?"

"I guess you could say that, I never really thought of it that way."

"Of course you're the wild man of the woods, many hunters have spoken of you, some even boasting they had met you but most content to say they witnessed you only from a distance. I'd always believed you to be a myth an urban legend, but I guess I was wrong."

"Great, I disappear; go into hiding only to become an urban legend." The man mused.

"You're in hiding, from whom?"

"Um, well my past, I guess."

"That must be some past."

"I guess, but I think I may have overreacted a bit, I mean twelve years."

"You never really meant to stay away did you?"

"No, well I did for a little while, just to let the rumors and scandals die down but I always meant to return to everyone."

"So why didn't you?"

"I don't know, I guess I got used to my life and so never got around to returning."

"So who is the red head?"

"Ah, Ginny, she's the only person I've really thought about over the past twelve years, then I was walking and when I found her I thought I'd finally cracked."

"So, she's what a friend?"

"Old girlfriend, she was the hardest one to leave, I mean there was everyone I knew but if it wasn't for her I could say that I had barely missed anyone."

The nurse fell silent; the man obviously did not want to be pressed any further. Slowly she turned to leave, quietly shutting the door as she left. He fell into a trance, unmoving, he barely even blinked. He would never be able to say for sure how long he had sat there, but finally after what had seemed like an eternity Georgie returned.

"Mr. Galway?" she waited for him to look up before she continued. "We've just taken Ginny up to ICU you may sit with her as long as you do not get in the way of the nurses, come with me I'll show you." Georgie led the man to the elevator. It was empty but for Georgie and the man. The intensive care unit was on the top floor of the building, when they reached the correct floor the man followed Georgie once more. She lead him through a warren of corridors, each blurring into the next, finally she stopped before a pair of double doors, next to the doors, set in the wall, was an intercom. Georgie pressed the buzzer and waited for a reply.

"ICU how can I help you?" The voice spoke out of habit, it was clear that the speaker was used to answering the intercom and was quite bored of it by now.

"Hello, it's Dr. Harron, I need to see Ginny, the patient I just sent up."

"The comatose?"

"Yes, can you let me in?"

"Sorry, right away Dr. Harron." There was a buzz and the door clicked open, Georgie led the way into the ward beyond.

Inside the ward there were two rows, all the way down a large hall, of beds. Each bed held a patient, every patient, in a coma, unconscious or asleep, the room was silent but for the sounds of the machines keeping many of the patients alive. Georgie lead the way down the room, at the very end of the hall were two private rooms, she entered the room on the left. Inside was Ginny, she looked so defenseless, there were tubes running off her almost everywhere, she had a ventilator assisting her in breathing, an electro cardio monitor beside her giving of a steady beeping and there was a drip running into the back of her left arm.

"Is she going to make it?"

"At this moment I cannot say. She is in a coma, she may yet wake up, she may not."

"How are her injuries?"

"Not so bad, I cannot tell you everything yet, there are still tests to be run, but unfortunately we must wait until she is in a more stable condition."

"Ok, thank-you Georgie." The man took a seat beside Ginny, he settled in ready to wait. Georgie guessed that he would not leave until she woke up; she hoped for both their sakes that she woke up soon.

Georgie left silently, the man barely noticed as she left, he stared at Ginny, she was the only thought running through his head, there was no world around him, nothing mattered except for the broken woman lying before him.

Each morning Georgie would visit, she would give Ginny a check-over then talk with the man for a while; then she would leave to complete her days work. Most days Georgie would return to I.C.U, to talk with the strange man; to try to unravel some of the mystery that shrouded him, but no matter how she tried there was still something mysterious about him.

Whilst the man responded to others the only one to really reach him was the comatose before him. For two weeks he barely left her side, he sat by her day after day, hoping, praying to anyone that may be listening, that she would wake up. For two weeks nurses tried to convince him to go home, to get some sleep, to go and have a coffee or eat something, but until she awoke he refused to leave. The nurses did however succeed in convincing him to have a shower and change his clothes; he soon lost his wild forest dwelling look, and revealed features of a once handsome, somewhat haunted face.

Finally two weeks after she had been found in the river, the thing they had all been waiting for happened, well not quite but almost… The man sat there, he held Ginny's hand as she lay there, and he poured out his soul to her, he was just telling her the way he had faked his own death and disappeared without a trace, when he felt it; her finger, it twitched!

Two days of coaxing her, and encouragement and finally her eyelids fluttered, she looked around her without actually taking in her surroundings. The only thing she noticed was the man beside her, she looked at him and smiled.

"I knew you'd come back." With that she closed her eyes and went to sleep.


	3. Discovery

**Chapter 2: Discovery**

When she again opened her eyes, Ginny saw streaming sunlight, coming through her window. She turned her head to see _him_ sitting there once more, but how could that be; he was dead – wasn't he?

He recognised the look of panic within her eyes, he attempted to calm her but to no avail. Finally she seemed to regain the power of speech, even if her words were still slightly slurred.

"You! But you- you're dead! Am I dead? I died didn't I?" she became quite panicked.

"Shh, Gin it's alright. I'm not dead and neither are you, please calm down, I can explain. I'm sorry." He kept trying to calm her and finally his attempts began to pay off. Slowly she quieted under his comforting hands and his soft murmuring.

"But, why Harry? Why are you here? Why didn't you come back?"

"I wanted to come back, but I guess I just never got around to it."

"I've missed you, I've missed you so much." Tears began to well in her eyes out of happiness for her returned love.

"I've missed you to Gin, you and everyone, more than you could know." He added on everyone else out of habit and also now that he was back he began to realise he really had missed everyone.

Ginny sank back into her pillow, her exhaustion evident, she did not want to admit it but she was weak, weaker than she had ever been.

"Shh Gin, sleep now, we'll talk later." Harry murmured, holding her hand.

Ginny smiled gratefully, he had always understood her like no other, she let her eyes drift shut as she fell into a peaceful sleep. Just as Ginny fell asleep Georgie returned from her daily duties, to see Harry before she left for the day.

"Hi Jack, how are you today?"

"I'm good, but please now that Ginny has woken please don't call me Jack, call me Harry."

Georgie nodded looking confused. "Ok Harry, so how's Gin today?"

"She woke up again this afternoon, in fact you only just missed it, she fell asleep only moments before you walked in."

"That's excellent! I'll come by about lunchtime tomorrow to take her to x-ray and run a few tests. Well I've got to go so I'll see you tomorrow Jack- I mean Harry." Georgie left the room.

The sun dawned; Harry was awake with it. He waited patiently for Ginny to wake up. It wasn't until mid-morning that she woke up, at first she was groggy but soon she was alert and aware of her surroundings.

"Hey, Gin, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Sore, but better than when I last woke. How long was I out anyway?"

"Well you were in the coma for two weeks, then you woke twice yesterday, in the early morning and late afternoon."

Before Ginny could ask any more questions, Georgie entered the room.

"Good morning, how are you this morning, Miss Weasley?"

"Miss Weasley, now there's a name I haven't been called for a while." She mused, before deciding to answer the doctor's question. "Well better than I have been lately, I guess."

"That is excellent, now this morning I must run a few tests on you. Are you up to that?"

Already Ginny was beginning to tire, she nodded to Georgie, as Harry caressed her hand, giving her strength.

"Well let's get to it. I think we should start with x-rays, that's pretty much all actually. Are you coming Harry?"

Harry nodded and assisted Georgie as she shifted Ginny from her bed into a waiting wheel chair. The three of them headed to the elevator and down three floors to the x-ray room.

"Nurse, I need x-rays of Miss Weasley's back." Georgie instructed the middle-aged woman at the desk.

The nurse nodded and moved out from behind the desk, she came forward to collect Ginny from Harry and Georgie. Harry looked as though he were about to follow then thought better of it; instead he turned to the nurse.

"Excuse me nurse, but will you need help lifting Ginny onto the table? Because as yet she is untried on her feet."

The nurse smiled at Harry, "I'm grateful for your offer, but I have a team of good helpers through there who can help me lift her onto the table."

Harry nodded, allowing her to take Ginny through the double doors to the x-ray room. Harry and Georgie sat in the waiting room, to wait for Ginny.

Almost twenty minutes later the nurse came back pushing Ginny in front of her. Turning to Georgie she said; " I'll have the x-rays sent to you by the end of the day, Dr Harron."

Georgie nodded as she thanked the nurse, then allowing Harry to push Ginny, she lead the way back to the intensive care ward where Ginny had been staying. Once Ginny was settled back into her bed and Harry seated in his chair, Georgie faced the two of them. "Ginny, providing your x-rays show nothing too serious you may move out of intensive care tomorrow and into a general ward."

"Really? That's great!" Ginny said, but it seemed her efforts had tired her out and she slumped back onto her pillows.

"Only if you're well enough, and exhausting yourself is hardly helping."

"Don't worry, I wont let her do much only little talks." Harry put in.

"Good, now both of you get some rest and I'll be back this afternoon with Ginny's x-rays." Georgie left the room to see her other patients.

Harry looked across at Ginny to find her eyes shut, she was fast asleep, today was the longest period she had been awake for since coming out of her coma. Harry stared at Ginny for a long time before he to drifted off to sleep.

Harry awoke in the late afternoon, Ginny was still asleep, he resumed his watching, it was about half an hour later that Georgie re-entered the room.

"Harry, can I see you outside for a moment?" she asked worriedly.

"Sure," Harry replied as he followed Georgie into the corridor outside.

"Um well I got Ginny's x-rays back and well, it seems that she has damaged one of her vertebrae in her middle back. It may have no effect but there is a chance that the fracture may have damaged her spinal column."

"I don't understand."

"Well if it has damaged her spinal column she may never walk again."

"Oh."

"But we don't know for sure yet, so let's not assume the worst until it's confirmed, if it's confirmed."

"Good idea, is that all you had to tell me?"

"Yes, well no, but Ginny should here this news herself."

"Well then I do believe we should go back inside as Gin is just starting to wake and will panic if she's alone."

"You really understand her so completely don't you?"

"Well before I left we barely even used words we spoke silently without meaning to at times. While I was gone she changed a lot on the outside but on the inside she is still the same sixteen year old that I left behind."

"Well I'm glad you're here for her now, she'll need you over the next few months."

"Only fair after the amount I depended on her for the two years before I left." Before Georgie could ask what he meant he disappeared into Ginny's room, she had no choice but to follow.

Harry was holding Ginny's hand as she slowly woke; she turned her head so that her first sight as she woke was his face.

Georgie was almost sorry to interrupt, but she knew she had to. "Ginny, there was something suspicious on one of your x-rays, so I just need to do a couple of quick tests if you don't mind?"

"Not at all, what do you need to do?"

"Well I need you to push against my hand with your foot, ok?"

"Sure, just say when."

"Go, come on really try, you have to really push."

"I can't." she finished puffing slightly.

"Ok then, tell me can you feel this?" Georgie asked as she massaged Ginny's foot.

"No." Ginny shook her head.

"I'm so sorry Ginny but it seems our fears are being realised, you have damaged your spinal column in your middle back." Seeing Ginny's confused expression she continued. "Ginny, you may never walk again."

Ginny said nothing, what was there to say? She looked at Harry; he said nothing, only held her close. Georgie sensed that they needed to be alone, so she quietly said her goodbyes and left.

"Harry, she just said I'm basically a paraplegic didn't she?"

"I wish I could say that she didn't Gin but I couldn't lie to you."

"But Harry I don't want to never walk again."

"She didn't say that you would definitely never walk only that you _may_ never walk again. There's still a chance you can do it babe, and where there's a will there's a way."

"Thank you Harry that was exactly what I needed to hear, you always know exactly what to say."

Harry smiled and hugged her closer, shifting so he sat beside her on her bed. "Shh it's been an eventful few minutes, get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow."

Ginny gratefully snuggled into his chest, "I'm so glad you're back Harry." She murmured before se fell asleep.

"So am I Gin, so am I" and soon he to was fast asleep.


	4. The Talk

**Chapter 3: The Talk**

The next morning Harry woke to find Ginny in his arms, it was then that the horrible revelations of the afternoon before came back to him; she may never walk again.

Not long after he had woken Ginny began to stir, soon she was awake, but she could not feel or see Harry's hand on her own, in fact she couldn't see Harry at all, she began to panic. "Harry, Harry where are you, it was all just a dream – I hope Darren didn't hear…"

"Hey, Gin calm down, I'm right here."

"Darren?" she asked fearfully.

"No, Harry. Who's Darren?"

"Oh, um, no one."

"Fine Gin if you don't want to tell me now you don't have to but I hope that one day you will tell me."

Ginny nodded. "I'll tell you Harry I promise."

"Good morning Harry, Ginny."

"Morning Georgie." Harry replied.

"Well guess what?" She asked Ginny.

"What?" Ginny responded.

"Today you are moving to a spinal injury unit."

"Really you mean I'm out of here?"

"That's it, so when you're ready we can get you down there."

"I'm ready."

"Ok let's go."

Harry carefully picked Ginny up and placed her in the wheelchair provided. He pushed her alongside Georgie as she led them to the spinal injury ward.

"I think you will like it down there Ginny, it's on the ground level and opens onto the gardens, so you can sit in the sun for the afternoon, or under the shade of a tree for a picnic lunch. Plus the nurses are really nice and it's my ward basically. I mean I worked with you only because of how you came in but there were some back problems that I was worried about so I kept in the case. But my speciality is physiotherapy, mainly I work with spinal injuries (helping those with injuries walk again)."

"So you'll be my doctor down here as well?"

"Yes."

After Ginny had been settled into her new room Georgie asked for a moment alone with her, to talk to her about one of her test results. Harry waited patiently outside her room waiting for either one of them to invite him back in. After waiting for almost fifteen minutes Georgie emerged pushing Ginny ahead of her.

"Harry, let's go for a walk in the gardens." Ginny said.

"Sure, are you coming Georgie?"

"No, I have things to do. See you both later." Georgie replied as she turned and left.

Harry moved behind Ginny and pushed her chair down the path, for a long time neither spoke a word. They stopped when Harry found a large shady tree for them to both sit under.

"Harry, would you take me out of this chair? I want to sit on the grass too."

"Sure thing Gin." Harry said as he lifted her from the wheelchair and placed her gently on the ground next to him. "So what is it on your mind? And don't tell me it's nothing, because I know you better than that."

"Well it's just I'm not sure what I should do, I mean well Georgie just said, well she told me that…"

"What Gin, what did she say, come on I can't help you if you don't tell me what the problem is."

"I'm pregnant." She finished almost mournfully.

"What? I don't understand."

"Ok I'll start from the beginning. After the final battle I had a huge fight with my family over a death that was my fault so they kicked me out. Well, at first it wasn't so bad because I still had Hogwarts but when I graduated I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to, don't blame yourself Harry, I don't. So once I was out of Hogwarts I stayed with friends until I found a job, but it didn't last long. Eventually I met this guy named Darren, at first I thought he was really sweet, he took me in and we even got married. But after that it all turned sour, he started drinking heavily and shouting at me all the time, it was awful, but it got worse after about a year he started to beat me. I thought I deserved it so I didn't stop him, I thought no one cared so I stayed. Then one day I just snapped and ran, that was when you found me in the river, I'd thrown myself in."

"Oh, Gin, I'm so sorry, I had no idea. But who did you did you kill to make your family kick you out?"

"Percy, only it wasn't like that, it was a mercy kill."

"A mercy kill?"

"Well at the end of the battle a few of us were going around and killing those who were better off dead, so their suffering ended. I was put in charge of death eaters as all of them were to die, whether they could be saved or not, and amongst them I found Percy. I offered to have him saved, to transfigure the death eaters robes and not tell anyone but he told me that if I did that he'd never be able to live with the shame, he begged for me to kill him…"

"So you did?"

Ginny nodded, the memory of it all obviously to painful to recall. "But when I told mum she went ballistic, she screamed for two days straight, I hid in my room for two weeks, grateful that I could magic food from the kitchen. One by one my brothers came by to see if mum's rambling was accurate, all of them left yelling as much as mum, none of them bothered to listen to the fact that he had begged for his end."

"Shh, it'll be ok Gin, we'll get through it all, and get them back."

"They never want to see me again." She sobbed.

"Shh, don't worry." He hugged he comfortingly, willing for everything to be all right and resolving to be the one who would fix all the problems.

For a while neither spoke, just sat in silence, Ginny sobbing quietly into Harry's chest. It was almost an hour before she spoke.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you leave?"

"Because I couldn't handle the press after what I'd done, and I didn't want to burden you guys with me being all moody about damned reporters turning up all the time. Realistically I would never have been able to live a normal life because of who I was."

"But you must of seen that we'd rather you moody and alive than dead."

"Well I didn't exactly mean to stay away I just never got around to returning. I'm sorry; if I'd known what you were going through I'd have been by your side in a heartbeat. I just had to wait for everything to die down."

"It's ok Harry I don't blame you for any of what happened to me. I just wish you'd come back sooner."

"So do I."

"Harry?"

"Mmm?"

"How did you disappear, I mean there was that huge explosion then Voldemort was dead and you were gone."

"Well as soon as he fell my wand exploded, but I'd made a portkey just prior to killing Voldemort; so in the explosion made by my wand I was transported to the forest in which I lived."

"Your wand exploded?"

"Yep right there in my hand." Harry held out his right hand as he spoke so Ginny could see the hundreds of tiny scars covering his palm, she began to trace the scars absentmindedly.

"So what are you going to do?" Harry asked her finally.

"About what?"

"The baby."

"Oh, I don't know, I mean I want to keep it but I'm afraid it will remind me of Darren, what if it looks like him?"

"Do you want it?"

"I guess, but how am I going to take care of it from the blasted chair?"

"I'll be here to help, always, I'm back with you for good now."

"It's so hard, I want it because, well, I want to be a mum, and Georgie said that I might not be able to have any more children. But I want to forget Darren, I don't want a reminder of him."

"Well which are you leaning towards now?"

"I'm not sure, I guess I want to keep it, but I'm not sure."

"Well how about we get you inside and you can have a rest, and after a sleep you'll be able to think clearly, you don't have to decide right now after all."

"Thank you Harry." He lifted her off the grass and put her back in the chair, before he slowly turned and pushed her from the gardens.

Once he had her settled back in her bed, he pulled a chair close to her bed and held her hand as she drifted off to sleep.


	5. One Step at a Time

**Chapter 5: One Step At A Time**

Three days after confronting his old friends Harry told Ginny that he wanted to take her for a drive up to London, he used the excuse of baby shopping, but somehow she knew there had to be a hidden motive.

He pulled up at the park and saw Ron and Hermione waiting for him, Ginny saw them too. "Harry, I don't want to be here, not with them."

"First Ron and Mione them mum and dad, one step at a time."

Harry got out of the car, before either Hermione or Ron had seen the redhead occupying the passenger seat. They both moved forward to greet him when they saw him pull a wheelchair from the boot, then help the passenger from their seat. He pulled her chair so that her back was to them in order to lift her up the gutter, when he turned her around Ron dropped to his knees mouth agape and Hermione began making choked noises, her hand covering her mouth.

At first no one spoke they just stared, it was Hermione who broke the silence. "Gin, you're pregnant." She said staring at Ginny's, by now large, stomach.

"Yeah, five months."

"That's great, children are the greatest joy you'll ever have, congratulations."

"You don't think I deserve that joy do you, Mione?"

"That's not what I said, but you've got to understand Gin what you did, it tore the family apart."

"And obviously it hasn't affected my life at all, as you can well see my life is just perfect. I made a mistake, aren't we all entitled to make mistakes?"

"Ginny you killed your own brother, and that's nothing more than a mistake to you?"

"Were you there? Did you have him beg you to kill him? Did you listen to his desperate pleas? I didn't think so, you may think you know everything Mione but there is more to life than what you read in books! You only see the black and white look for the shades of grey, for your own sake."

"Gin, you don't understand-"

"Oh I understand alright; to you we all must be perfect, no one can make a mistake like I did! Speaking of mistakes, Harry, it was a mistake to bring me here, let's just go home."

"Sure thing Gin, if that's what you want." Harry began to wheel her chair around slowly moving back to the car.

Halfway to the car Ginny gasped and doubled over in her chair in pain. Harry stopped suddenly and knelt down before her.

"Gin what's up? Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'll be ok the pain's passing now."

"Hey Gin guess what?"

"What?"

"Where was the pain?"

Ginny touched the spot where the shooting pain had hit her before realising what Harry meant. "My baby, oh my God I felt my baby!" she cried happily as she hugged Harry.

"You'll be walking in no time." He whispered so only she would hear as he hugged her back. "One step at a time."

"Harry, Ginny, please don't leave, come have something to eat."

Harry looked at Ginny, she nodded and he turned her chair around and headed back to the table where Hermione had set out lunch.

All through lunch as Hermione desperately tried to keep the conversation going, Ron said nothing, Harry tried to talk to him but he was lost in his own world. Finally they could go on no longer, Ginny was close to tears and yet still her brother refused to talk to her, turning to Harry she whispered, "Let's Go Harry I've had enough."

Sighing Harry said his goodbyes to Mione he took Ginny to the car. He had just lifted her out of her chair when he heard a yell from behind him.

"Potter!" Harry turned. "What exactly are your intentions with my sister?"

Ginny crumpled into tears of joy sobbing into Harry's chest, Ron came over and took her from Harry hugging her tight. Finally Ron spoke again. "Ah Gin? Look I hate to be a mood killer and all but you get kinda heavy after a while." Everyone laughed at Ron as Harry stepped forward and took Ginny back.

"Ginny looked at the spot where she had sobbed into her brothers shirt, which was now wet with tears. "Well I bet Mione's glad to have me back I'm already making more washing for her!" Ginny joked.

Lydia ran over screaming "Oh I'll help!" as she yelled she accidentally levitated the contents of the nearby pond which landed squarely on Ron's head. Ron was left standing completely soaked with a bright green frog perched on his head. No one spoke as Ron stood perfectly still, then Ginny snorted with laughter.

"Suits you mate, really suits you."

"It clashes so charmingly with your freckles dear."

At Hermione's remark everyone, but Ron, burst out laughing.

"Your daughter, she's your daughter!" Ron finally spluttered.

"Excuse me Weasley? My family are dentists, do you really thing she got her sense of humour from us?"

"Very true, that's definitely the Weasley in her." Ron nods in agreement before turning slowly with a feral grin to his daughter. "Well little girl…"

Lydia squealed and ran away, Ron right behind her.

At Hermione's insistence Harry and Ginny agreed to stay a little longer. The three of them sat around the table and chatted quietly catching up on old times whilst Ron ran wildly after Lydia who was still squealing in delight. Shortly after they sat down the baby that Hermione had been holding three days ago, woke in his pram. Hermione picked him up; he was no more than a few months old.

"Oh Mione he's so sweet, what's his name?"

"Jonathan Pericaval Weasley. He's just four months old."

"Awww, he's so gorgeous."

Ginny turned to Harry on her other side and just looked at him.

"Just one little step at a time, one tiny baby step at a time." He said quietly so Hermione did not hear him.

yeah, updating at last, sorry! I've just been really busy and havent got round to uploading all my chapters. how bout this as a reward for waiting so long you can have two chapters today? I'm sorry.

There'll be more soon i promise.


	6. Unwelcome Visitor

**Chapter 6: Unwelcome Visitor**

Georgie had stayed late after physio with Ginny, and so Harry offered to drive her home, so that she would not have to walk home in the dark. Ginny insisted that she would be fine and could be left alone for ten minutes whilst he dropped Georgie off. Finally Harry agreed and allowed her to stay while he took Georgie home.

Once Harry was gone Ginny began to pack the dishwasher after dinner. A few minutes later she heard the door open and close, as someone entered and began walking toward the kitchen.

"Harry, back so soon? You surely were driving to fast, it's no good hurrying back to me if you never make it…" Ginny chattered, but Harry did not reply, she turned around only to find it was not Harry standing in her kitchen, but Darren.

"Don't looked so shocked Gin did you really think I wouldn't find you?"

"Wh- what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing now, couldn't I?"

"Get out Darren you are no longer a part of my life!"

Darren slammed his fist on the table, instinctively Ginny wheeled back. "What's this? The bitch is on wheels now?" he laughed cruelly.

At Darren's obvious hostility Ginny unconsciously covered her stomach, seeing this Darren immediately stopped laughing and circled the bench to where Ginny was starting to cower.

"Is the little bastard mine?"

"No!" Ginny screamed in defiance, not really wanting to admit the truth.

Darren backhanded her, the wheelchair toppled over and Ginny fell to the floor. "So you were slutting yourself around!"

"No-"

"I loved you Gin, but you just kept trying my patience. I had to make you learn!" Darren picked up a knife from the bench as he moved toward Ginny. "I've always been there for you Gin, always. When you were this innocent little thing, with nothing and no one I took you in and I loved you! But you had to learn, you were a bad wife, you had to learn. So I taught you!"

"People don't learn through being beaten!"

In his anger Darren struck out with the knife in his hand, luckily Ginny moved just in time and the knife only scraped down one cheekbone. Clutching the gash on her cheek, Ginny struggled to escape Darren, pulling herself along with one arm. She backed herself into a corner, desperately searching for an escape route; it was then she saw him, slowly walking up behind Darren.

"I was always there for you!" screamed Darren still ranting.

Suddenly Darren felt himself being lifted and slammed into a wall. "Always there for her were you? Well guess what? Now it's my turn!" Harry punched Darren square in the nose; Darren slumped to the floor unconscious. Leaving Darren in a heap on the floor Harry rushed to Ginny's side; pulling her into his lap as he checked that she was ok. It seemed that apart from the cut on her cheek there was no other damage, he righted her chair and helped her back into it before calling both the police and Georgie.

Within the hour Darren had been taken into custody and the police were going about pressing charges, assault, unlawful entry and attempted murder; Darren was going away for a long time. Georgie arrived minutes after the police, she patched Ginny up and gave her a check over, to ensure there was no more damage, especially to the baby after her fall. Certain that there was no unseen damage Georgie told Ginny she was to get plenty of sleep to recover from the shock of the evening, she then hurried home to finish the bedtime story she had promised her little girl.

Although tempted to get Hermione in to check that both Ginny and the baby were fine using the more precise diagnosis of magic Harry decided to follow Georgie's advice and take Ginny straight to bed, she needed sleep. He carried her up the stairs and put her into bed, then as he turned to leave she called out to him in a quiet voice. "Please don't leave me." She said almost fearfully as though afraid that every shadow was out to get her.

Harry waked over to the other side of the bed and slid under the covers next to her. "I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, placing a hand on her stomach. "Not ever."

Sorry it's so short but i thought it worked that way.

Now review, please, if you review I'll update sooner :)


	7. A Rapid Boil

**Chapter 7: A Rapid Boil**

A week after Darren's visit Ginny was obviously still shaken, Harry refused to leave her alone again there was no way he would let such a thing happen again. In an attempt to distract her from her thoughts of Darren, Harry invited Ron and Hermione over with their two children for the day.

Ron was chasing Lydia around teasing her good-naturedly; Ginny was holding John whilst Harry and Hermione stood off to the side talking quietly.

"So how's she coping?" Hermione asked.

"She isn't, she just pretends it isn't happening." Harry replied.

"You chose a good time to come back Harry."

"I should never have left."

"No on blames you."

"But only you guys know I'm back, I've yet to make my return official."

"So when are you doing that?"

"I'm not even thinking about that right now, all that matters now is Ginny."

"So not for a while?"

"Nope not till after the baby's born at least."

"Oh that reminds me, we had dinner with Molly and Arthur the other night."

"And?"

"Well I think that Arthur might be almost ready to take Ginny back, she was after all Daddy's little girl. But Molly is adamant she will not forgive Gin, but if we get Arthur onside she may be that much easier to convince."

"Well, get Arthur here, I don't care how you do it just get him here, the sooner the better."

"He's not ready yet, well have to gently warm him to the idea."

"Hermione perhaps you don't understand, Gin is due three weeks from Monday, if Molly isn't there how do you think both of them will feel. This is one day of her life when Gin is going to need and want her mother by her side."

"Three weeks? So we're talking more of a rapid boil than a gentle warming?"

"Definitely."

"Well I'll see what I can do, but I'll have Arthur here within the week."

"Thank you Mione."

Hermione and Arthur were having lunch in Diagon Alley a few days after Hermione's chat with Harry. They had just received their drinks when Hermione decided it was time to start on the topic she wanted to discuss.

"So Arthur, Ron and I heard from Ginny a few months back."

"Hermione…" He began visibly stiffening.

"No Arthur please, just give me a chance, give her a chance."

"Have you forgotten what she did to us?"

"No I haven't forgotten, I probably never will, but I have been able to forgive. Don't you think it's time both you and Molly did the same? It's been twelve years."

"This conversation is over Hermione." Arthur placed his money on the table and turned to leave.

"Arthur, please wait!"

"What?"

"Could you turn your back on your only daughter when she needed you the most?"

"She turned her back on us, Mione."

"It was a mistake Arthur, a mistake!"

"But she destroyed so much of our lives, a part of Molly died the day Ginny left."

"And your lives are all that matter? Do you think that a part of Ginny didn't die also? That her life has been a bed of roses? Ron and I are going to visit her on Saturday, if you want to come be at our house by twelve, if not well, I just hope you can live with yourself. See you on Saturday." As she finished Hermione placed down the money for her drink and left without another word.

At precisely eleven fifty-eight on Saturday morning Arthur knocked on Ron and Hermione's front door, within moments they were in the car and headed out of town to where Harry and Ginny lived. In the car on their way Arthur tried to find out why it was so important that he speak to Ginny; was she sick? Dying? But neither Ron nor Hermione were saying anything, and so Arthur stopped asking.

Upon their arrival Hermione insisted that Arthur go in a head of them, as they still had to get both children out of the car. So Arthur relented and went up to the door, much to his joy he found that they had a doorbell and it made it that much easier to announce his presence, although he barely suppressed the urge to ring it continually. Through the clouded glass running down the left hand side of the door he saw a large man approach the door, he assumed it must have been her husband, Daniel was it? He remembered receiving the invitation years ago although in their anger the Weasley family had not so much as replied to her owl.

"Hell- Mr Weasley?"

"Harry? What are you doing here? Last I heard you were dead!"

"Really? Well don't go countering that rumour just yet." Harry laughed as he motioned for Arthur to come in. "Well you must be wanting to see Gin, follow me." Harry led Arthur out into the backyard, where Ginny was lying on a sunlounge, hiding from her wheelchair as she so often did. "Gin, you've got a visitor, you up to it?"

"Sure, who is it?" Ginny had her back to the two men as they approached and made no effort to face them.

Following Harry's silent instruction Arthur moved around to face her, what he saw was not at all what he expected, her hands rested on her large stomach and she had what had clearly been quite a gash now healing reaching down her right cheekbone.

"Daddy? What are you doing here?"

"Mione and Ron brought me here because apparently we were turning our backs when we're needed the most, and honestly when I look around I can really see how much we're needed. Look at you Ginervra you don't even look happy, you're living with the man you've loved almost your whole life, in a nice house. You have a child on the way, and you dare say that your mother and I should just forget that you killed your own brother because you're unhappy? How dare you!"

"Dad, what right do you have to criticize me? What do you know of my life? You know what, now is not when I've needed you the most, when I needed you the most was six months ago!"

"Why, did your perfect little world cave in momentarily? Or did you just have a bad day?"

"A bad day? A bad day? Are you fucking kidding me? I threw myself in a river for Merlin's sake!"

"Well done Ginervra, why did you do that?" Arthur asked with false concern.

"Because I snapped, ten years of verbal, physical and sexual abuse will do that you know."

"What?" all traces of his anger was now gone, replaced by genuine concern.

"Ah so you do care? Yes I was abused, incredibly so. Everyday I was beaten, screamed at and some days raped, by my own husband no less. At first Darren was sweet and kind but then he started to drink and everyday he would come home drunker than the day before, scream and hit me, then if I was lucky he would pass out. One night I just snapped and I ran, I found a forest and ran deep into its heart where I found the river. I was exhausted and I just dropped in, floating away, by morning I was almost dead in a comatose state."

"Oh my poor baby girl, I'm so sorry." He hugged Ginny close as he continued to mutter his apologies. "How about we go inside and join everyone else?"

"Um sure, but could go and tell Harry that we want to come in first?"

"Um, ok." He replied uncertainly, he walked over to the door and feeling somewhat foolish he told Harry that he and Ginny wanted to come inside. Much to Arthur's surprise Harry saw nothing odd in this statement and simply nodded. Arthur went back to Ginny who still had not moved from her sunlounge. "Well are you coming?"

"I can't until Harry comes out, go ahead if you want."

"Ok, I think I'm missing something here aren't I?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Are you going to fill me in?"

"You'll know soon enough." Was all she would say.

Moments later Harry walked out into the yard. "You know Gin if you didn't insist that I hide this thing from you, you wouldn't have to interrupt me mid-conversation to come get you." Harry joked as he helped her into the wheelchair.

When Ginny again faced her father the look on his face said more than words ever could, he looked as though he had temporarily lost the power of speech as he followed mutely as Harry pushed Ginny back inside.

Inside Arthur managed to push the fact that his baby girl was in a chair from his mind and joined in the conversation.

Later that afternoon Arthur again found himself alone with Ginny, he took the opportunity to fill in the gaps in her story.

"So Gin, when did you find Harry again?"

"Well I found him in my room in hospital, but it was him who found me floating in the river."

"Really? And that was six months ago?"

"Yeah, we were just lucky that the first person we ran into once we reached the town was a doctor, which reminds me you have to meet Georgie, she's my physiotherapist, she's helping me to walk again."

"So the chair's not a permanent thing?"

"This? No, well at least no if I can help it! I can't do much more in physio until after the baby is born but I've got some feeling back in my legs."

"So how long do you have until the baby arrives?"

"Three weeks now, I can't wait."

"So do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

"Nope Harry and I want it to be a surprise."

"Hang on if you've been with Harry for six months and you're due in three weeks, then…"

"Oh no the baby isn't Harry's, it's Darren's, but because of my back injury Georgie said having any more kids might not be an option. As much as I don't want to be reminded of Darren, I don't want to never be able to have kids. If I didn't have this baby then, well, I might never have gotten the chance to be a real mum."

"Hey Gin, whoa calm down, I'm just getting all my facts straight, you gave only a half explanation before that's all."

"Sorry, it's just that I don't like to think about it too much so I explain really fast and change the topic."

"Don't worry dear, I understand everything."

"Dad, We're leaving are you coming?"

"Be there in a minute Ron. Well, I'll come back and visit soon. See you later my dear." Arthur said, hugging his daughter.

"Bye Daddy, see you soon." She replied hugging him in return, just glad to be Daddy's little girl again.

* * *

Well until next time. REVIEW, or, I'll, I'll, well i dont know what I'll do, just review, please? 


	8. Another Reunion

**Chapter 8: Another Reunion **

Arthur returned to the burrow that evening with a spring in his step, his baby girl had explained everything and now she was forgiven. Well, by him at least, but now he could work with Ron and Hermione to get the rest of the Weasley's on our side as well. Arthur's sudden happiness did not go unnoticed by Molly; as soon as he walked in she began her firing squad of questions.

"And where exactly have you been all day?"

"Oh I went to visit Ron and Hermione, and they took me to see this amazing woman."

"And what exactly was so amazing about her?"

"Her life story, she was married to an abusive husband for ten years. She attempted suicide by throwing herself in a river, but she was found by the man she had always loved and now lives with him, but is confined to a wheelchair from a back injury."

"Wow, that's quite a life, but why didn't her family rescue her from the abusive husband?"

"Because they refused to talk to her over an old argument, they refused to even attend her wedding, so she went through everything alone, yet she remains hopeful for the future."

"How could anyone turn their back for so long? I'm glad we're so close a family, aren't you Arthur?"

Arthur could not bring himself to reply, instead he redirected the conversation, "Would you like to come and visit her next week with me?"

"Of course, the poor dear."

"OK, I'll owl her this week and organize it."

The next weekend Molly and Arthur arrived outside Harry and Ginny's home, Molly had yet to find out who she was visiting and was surprised to say the least when she saw Harry.

"Harry dear, how are you we all missed you so much. Why did you leave us?" Molly embraced Harry as she would her own sons, as she chided him for disappearing without a word.

"Good to see you too Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied as he hugged her in return. "Come in, come in." Harry gestured for Molly and Arthur to follow him through to the lounge room.

"Harry, help!" came a sudden scream from upstairs, Harry did not even bother to excuse himself as he practically sprinted upstairs.

He located Ginny in the shower, sitting on the garden chair that had been placed there for her, she was doubled over in pain clutching her stomach, Harry ran over to her and grabbed her hand, she looked up. "Gin, what's the matter?"

"It hurts, make the pain stop Harry, please make it stop." She pleaded with him, her voice sounding so young, and a scarred child pleading for the pain to stop.

"OK babe, come on look at me, now breathe, OK is the pain going away?"

She nodded and Harry passed her a towel, she wrapped it around herself and Harry lifted her from the seat and carried her to the bedroom, he helped her to dress then took her downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs he put her in her chair then turned to her, "Gin your dad's here, and he brought someone else to see you. Are you up to more family today, or would you like me to go through and ask them to come back another day?"

"No, I'll see them, but no fights today, if things get bad promise you'll save me?"

"Always." He smiled; he hoped that Molly would go easy on her daughter today at least. "All right, I'll take you in and help you into your chair." When they entered the lounge room Molly was not there. Harry helped her into her lounge seat then hid the wheelchair from Ginny; he then went to find Molly. He found Molly in the dining room looking at the photos on the walls; she turned to look at him holding a photo of himself and Ginny in her hand.

"Harry who is she, she looks almost like-" Molly walked with Harry into the lounge room again but was unable to finish her sentence as she was cut off.

"Mum?" Ginny asked surprised, she had not expected her mother to be here, she figured one of her brothers had come. Her eyes filled with tears at the sight of her mother.

"Ginervra," Molly visibly stiffened. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean mum, I live here." Ginny replied obviously confused.

Molly rounded on Arthur, "Why didn't you tell me she would be here?"

"Look around you Molly, who do you think I was talking about?"

"You mean," she watched as Arthur nodded to her unfinished question. "How could you fool me like that?" she exploded.

"Aghhhh!" Ginny screamed, doubling over in pain again.

Harry rushed forward and grabbed her hands, as he spoke to her quietly she calmed down. "Come on Gin, let's get you back up to bed and I'll call Georgie to come look at you." Then turning to Molly and Arthur he said, "I'm really sorry, it was so nice of the two of you to drop in, but I'm going to have to ask you to come back some other time. Gin's having a bad day and isn't going to be any fun to talk to unfortunately."

Arthur nodded his understanding and turned to leave, Molly however did not move, she stared at Ginny then when Harry went to pick her up she stopped him.

"Harry wait. I'm sorry Ginny dear, I forgive you." She rushed over to Ginny and hugged her. Then she asked, "Ginny dear, where is the pain exactly?" Ginny clutched her stomach and Molly nodded, "And how long until you're due?"

"Two weeks."

Again Molly nodded.

Harry having caught on to Molly's train of thought rushed out of the room to call Georgie.

"Mum, what's happening?"

"Dear I think you've just gone into labor, you're about to have your baby."

"What, now? I cant I'm not due for another two weeks!"

"OK, Georgie is on her way, she'll be here in a couple of minutes."

Ginny nodded glad that Georgie would be there soon.

Sensing that he was going nowhere anytime soon, Arthur sat down on the couch and made himself comfortable once more.

"Knock, knock!" they heard a woman call as she entered through the front door.

"Through here Georgie!" Harry called back and seconds later Georgie entered the room. Immediately she went to Ginny's side, she had her stethoscope around her neck and began taking Ginny's pulse and blood pressure.

"Aghhhh!" Ginny screamed.

"OK how far apart are the contractions now?" Georgie asked everyone.

"About five minutes." Molly answered.

"Who are you?" Georgie asked confused.

"Her mother, who are you?"

"Her doctor."

Molly looked the younger woman up and down before nodding.

"OK, look Harry, I don't want to do this here, there's too much risk. We have to get her to the hospital now." Georgie said worriedly.

"Which one?" Molly asked.

"St. Mary's just downtown, why?"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Molly said shaking her head, "Arthur! Get Hermione here now!"

"Please, I think Georgie can handle it, there's no need to bother Mione."

"No! If there's any danger in the muggle way we're calling Hermione, I don't want any chances to be taken!"

Georgie looked incredibly confused at Harry, he just shook his head, and this was not the time for such an explanation.

Harry looked over at Molly and Arthur to see how their argument was going apparently Arthur had lost. He was walking into the next room to apparate; at least he had the sense not to do so in front of Georgie.

Moments latter there were two popping sounds in the next room, followed by Hermione and Arthur walking into the room, it was almost to much for Georgie, who looked as though she were about to faint.

Hermione repeated almost exactly what Georgie had done on arrival, before arriving at the same conclusion. "We have to get her to St. Mungo's, now!"

At her instruction everyone sprang into action.

"Harry, you don't want to be recognized just yet, put on a hooded cloak, make sure your face is covered!" Hermione ordered him, as he left the room briefly. "Ok, next lets get Ginny on a stretcher and I'll make a portly." Georgie was just about to point out that they did not have a stretcher when, Hermione pulled out her wand and with a quick swish conjured a stretcher, and with another flick levitated Ginny onto it, where it hovered about two feet above the ground. Just as Hermione finished getting Ginny on the stretcher Harry re-entered the room with a large cloak on. Georgie now looked more confused than ever.

Hermione held out her watch and ordered everyone to hold on, within moments they found themselves standing in the reception of St. Mungo's. As soon as the group appeared Hermione started snapping orders to the junior healers around her, all of them rushed to do as told. Hermione led them all to a private room; a few hands picked members of staff following them. Hermione locked the door behind them and turned to her assistants. "Now, none of you are to say anything of what or who you see in here today, anyone who fears they might not be able to keep quiet leave now!" not one of them so much as twitched. "Good," she smiled, "In that case, Harry you can remove the cloak."

Harry pulled back his hood ready for the reaction he was by now used to, but it never came. Instead the junior healers turned to Mione for their instructions.

Whilst Hermione gave out more instructions Harry moved to sit next to Ginny, beside her bed, he gently took her hand and murmured to her softly.

"Aghhhh!" Ginny screamed as another contraction came.

"Shh, it's all right Gin, come on you can do it, breathe, good." Harry calmed her as she gripped his hand in a bone-crushing squeeze.

"Good, the contractions are getting closer, it shouldn't be long now." Hermione announced.

"Hear that Gin, you're doing great, not much longer."

"Ok, now Gin, I want you to tell us when you feel the next contraction coming, can you do that?" Hermione asked; Ginny nodded.

Everyone waited with baited breath; all eyes were on her as she concentrated waiting for the next contraction. A couple of minutes later Ginny broke the silence, "Ok here it comes." She said before screaming in pain.

"Ok, Gin keep going, feel when the contractions are coming and tell us before hand, Ok?" Hermione asked again.

Ginny nodded, she waited a minute or so then said, "Here comes another." She tried her best to stifle her screams of agony.

"Good Gin keep going." Hermione encouraged her.

Ginny screamed out loud as the pain hit again, the contractions suddenly quickening.

"Ok, Gin, on the next one push, push as hard as you can."

"Hermione, can I help in any way?" Georgie asked, standing up.

"Sure, you instruct Ginny up that end, I'll keep watch down here."

"Aghhhh!" Ginny screamed.

"Push, Gin, Push!" Georgie instructed.

Ginny pushed with all her might, clutching Harry's hands as she did so, he grimaced in pain, but said nothing of it.

"Almost Gin."

"Aghhhh!" she screamed, pushing again and tightening her grip on Harry's hands.

"Push Gin, you have to concentrate, come on!"

"Mione, can you squeeze my toes?"

"Sure, what's wrong Gin?"

"Mione, I can't feel my toes, try my legs, nope nothing, I must have done some thing wrong. The contractions have stopped as well, or at least I can't feel them."

"Crap, this is not good! What do you think Georgie?"

"I think you'll have to do a c-section, what other option do you have?"

"Nope, I cant, I don't have the equipment or training."

"What do you mean you don't have the equipment or training? I thought you were a doctor!"

"I'm a healer, there's a difference, and look around you does this look like any hospital you've ever worked in?"

"No, but what are you going to do, if you don't act fast you're going to have a slim chance of delivering the baby alive."

"I know, I didn't want to have to do it this way, but oh well, all non-essentials out! That includes you Harry, I'm knocking Gin out now any way."

"But I-"

"No Harry, not this time, you can come back in as soon as she wakes up OK?"

"Fine," he stalked out of the room and into the adjoining waiting room, where everyone else had already gone.

Once inside the waiting room Harry refused to stay still, he sat down and couldn't get comfortable, he paced until there was a track visible in on the floor, then he sat again, and so the cycle went on.

Molly suddenly jumped up, "I've got to do something, I'll be back in an hour or two." Without another word she disapparated with a snap.


	9. A Full Weasley Reunion

**Chapter 9 A Full Weasley Reunion**

After almost three hours in the waiting room Hermione came through and announced that everyone was allowed back into the room. Harry nearly knocked her flat as he hurried to get past her into the room.

Ginny was still unconscious, Harry took his seat beside her once more.

"Is she ok Mione?" He asked.

"She's going to be fine, now don't worry."

"What about the baby?"

"Also fine, one of my assistants is taking care of it down the hall."

Harry continued to question Hermione about the baby, about Ginny, and anything else that seemed appropriate at the time; finally she could take it no longer. She beckoned one of her assistants, whispered to her, then the assistant left the room, she returned barely a minute later, with a small bundle of pink blankets, she handed the baby to Harry, who was immediately silenced.

Before everyone even had a chance to crowd Harry to see the beautiful baby girl there was a knock at the door. One of Hermione's assistants answered the knock, she could be heard arguing with someone else before she turned back to Hermione.

"Um, head Healer Weasley?"

"Yes Patricia?"

"Umm well the receptionist tells me that there is an angry Weasley mob outside, demanding entry, your husband is among them."

"Mob? Oh no, let me speak to them before they come through." Hermione left the room, for a few minutes before she returned with a subdued Weasley mob trailing, apparently she had some of Molly's crowd control techniques buried somewhere.

The Weasley's entered the room receiving a intimidating stare from Harry signaling that if Hermione had been unsuccessful at silencing them he would not be. Once everyone was silent, Harry shot a questioning look at Molly.

"I figured that now was as good a time as any for a full family reunion." She shrugged.

Harry nodded in approval and smiled at her gratefully.

It was at that moment that Ginny began to stir, Harry shifted himself and the gorgeous baby girl in his arms, slightly to face Ginny as she woke. Harry took her hand just as her eyelids gently fluttered open, "Déjà vu," she commented smiling.

"Glad to see you finally decided to wake up," Harry joked.

She grinned before she spoke once more, "Harry where's our baby?"

"She's right here, don't you worry."

"She? You mean we had a little girl?"

"Yep, red hair and all Gin, she looks just like her mother." As he spoke Harry stood up and surrendered the pink bundle to Ginny.

The smile that crossed Ginny's face as she held her daughter close for the first time was one of pure ecstasy, she saw nothing except for her daughter and Harry, nothing else mattered.

"Gin," Harry began, pulling from her revere. "What are you going to name her?"

"There's only one name I would consider, Lily, what do you think?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He replied smiling, before kissing both Ginny and Lily on their foreheads.

Molly walked over to stand on the other side of her daughter, and Granddaughter. "Ginny dear, I have a surprise for you." As she spoke Molly gestured around her.

For the first time since she had woken up Ginny actually looked around the room, and now that she had seen them she wondered how she could have missed the twenty-nine smiling Weasleys surrounding her bed. "Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, Angelina, Alicia, Fleur? I can't believe you're all here; wow, there's a lot of you all these days!" she exclaimed as she stared at her many nephews and nieces, seventeen to be exact.

Each of her brothers then took it in turns to introduce all of his children to both her and Harry. Charlie went first.

"Ginny!" he said as he hugged her, "This is my wife Belinda, and our three beautiful daughters, Katherine, Genevieve and Kelly." He said as her gestured to the only adult in the room she did not recognize, and the three girls huddled around her.

George went next, pulling Alicia with him "Good to see ya again sis, this is Matthew, Jackington and our twin girls, Karen and Jacqueline." He said as he gestured to his daughters.

"Ginny, glad you're back with us!" Bill said as he hugged her. "These are our three, Zachary, Ellie and Rosanna." He pointed at his three children as he spoke.

"Hey sis, good to see ya." Fred said as he moved over to her. "The twins are Alexander and Jackson, then there's Amy, Alison and Raquel."

As Fred moved back to the edge of the room with the rest of the family, Ginny looked at all of them, still not quite believing that they were all with her again. All she could manage to say was, "Well, you lot certainly have been busy haven't you?" then she laughed and everyone joined in too.

"Ginny, we're so sorry we never listened to you, it's just that Percy's death was a shock to all of us and we just didn't want to believe what you had to say, and at the time it was just easier to blame you." Bill said at last.

"Look you were right to blame me for his death, I did kill him, but he begged for me to do it. I offered to let him go free, to never tell a soul that he'd been a death eater, but he said that he'd never be able to live with the shame. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have but-"

"Ginny it's ok, we forgive you, if anything we should be the one's saying sorry, for not believing you, or giving you the chance to explain your side of the story. We're sorry Gin, really we are." Charlie finished.

"Thank you, I've waited so long to hear those words from you that I started to believe that I didn't deserve them." Ginny said to all her brothers.

"Don't believe that Gin, ever." Said Molly as she wrapped her arms around her baby, her little girl. Except Ginny wasn't her baby girl anymore, well not really, she was someone's mummy now, she had a little family of her own, and in her stubbornness Molly had missed that point at which her baby girl had become a woman, with a life and family all her own.

Technically the end although not quite…

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A/N: hey, sorry it's been so long since i updated, i've just been a little hesitant about posting since no one seems to be reading anymore, please review! then i know it's being read, constructive critisism is appreciated but flames are not. thanks.

Becca (Skichik)


	10. Epilogue part 1

**Epilogue part 1: The Return of the Savior**

About a week after Lily's birth Harry and Ginny held a huge barbeque in their backyard for all of their family and friends, unfortunately one couple that they had particularly wanted to see were unable to make it, Neville and Luna were in Argentina searching for the prong-toed fire iguana. Ginny found out, that they would be back in the next few days, so they simply enjoyed the company of their extended family.

Remus and Tonks were there, with their little boy, Joshua, who was playing happily with the many Weasley youngsters.

Georgie and Phillip attended with Lydia and their little boy, Daniel.

Plus all the Weasleys and many of the old order members, at the end of the evening Harry spoke, asking everyone to keep it under wraps that he was alive and had never been dead. Everyone agreed and Harry assured them it would only be temporary, as he would go to the media within the next week.

On Wednesday morning Harry flooed to the headquarters of the only publication he trusted, he wore the same full-length cloak that he had worn to St. Mungos, so no one would recognize him, until his story was out. He walked over to the receptionist's desk where a young witch was painting her nails, with a tabloid magazine opened before her.

"Excuse me, miss?" Harry said, getting her attention.

"Yes sir, how may I help you?" she asked snapping up.

"I would like to see the editors please, I have one hell of a scoop for them."

"Certainly sir, if you'll just fill in this form it will be sent straight to Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom's office, they will come through and see you if they wish to publish your story." The witch told Harry as she handed him a form.

Harry took the form and read, there was only one question on it; "Please outline your story." He took the pen he was being offered by the witch and wrote, "The return of Harry Potter." Harry folded the piece of paper over and handed it back to the receptionist. She placed it in a shoot and pressed a button. "Ok, Sir if either of them are interested in your story they will buzz for you.

A few moments later, Neville walked into the reception area, he was red in the face and shaking in his rage. "I don't know who you think you are, but the Quibbler will print none of this Harry Potter nonsense."

"Neville, please, will you just hear my story out?"

"Fine, step into my office." He gestured to the door he had just walked in through.

Harry followed Neville into his office, "I think Luna should be here to, why don't you get her?"

"Not until you show your face sir."

"Neville, I'm not going to harm you. I was never a death eater, I do not even have a wand on me, hell I don't even have a wand, please, just get Luna and I'll explain everything."

Finally, slowly, Neville nodded. He wet to another door on the other side of the room and walked through it. He returned moments later with Luna in tow.

"Well, it s so good to see you both again, but I daresay you'll want to see me now."

"Sir, who are you?" Luna asked.

"Harry Potter," Harry told them as he lowered his hood.

Both Luna and Neville stared at Harry, mouths agape. "But, you died almost thirteen years ago now."

"Well that's what everyone else says too, but I being the one who did not die, beg to differ." Harry joked.

"Ok if you're really Harry, tell me who tortured my parent beyond sanity?"

"Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange."

"What happened to Bellatrix?"

"She received the dementors' kiss and now lives in the ministry."

"Neville, stop, it's Harry, you know it is." Luna stopped him.

"I'm sorry Harry, I know its you, but it's hard to believe, you know?"

"I understand completely, Mione and Ron just stood there looking at me, if I hadn't have spoken then I'm sure I'd still be standing there."

"Well it is a shock to see you again after near thirteen years of believing you were dead."

"Oh, don't worry I can understand that it takes a while to get used it. So will you publish my story?"

"Sure, where shall we start?" Luna asked pulling out a quill and some parchment.

"Well why don't we start at the end of the final battle, with the explosion?"

"Ok, what caused the explosion?"

"The power of the spell used to kill Voldemort caused my wand to explode, in the explosion I used a portkey I'd made only moments before to get out of the field."

"So where did you go?"

"A forest, it was very isolated and no one of magical talents ever found me."

Luna went on to ask for details of his story and the purpose of his return, Harry answered all of the questions knowing that Luna would never twist his words, to make his story more dramatic. She may be a little lost, but she only printed what she genuinely believed was the truth, that made Harry respect her, she may not have any real clue but she never cared what others thought, nor let them influence her beliefs, and that took guts.

The next week a special edition of the Quibbler was released with the front cover headline; "HARRY POTTER RETURNS; THE STORY OF THE BOY WHO LIVED" inside was the article Luna had written and a recent picture of Harry, with Ginny, they were sitting in a pile of freshly raked autumn leaves, laughing and throwing the leaves at each other.

The day after the Quibbler had been released Harry and Ginny ventured into Diagon Alley, Harry went to Olivanders to get a new wand, then he and Ginny bought everything they would need. Everywhere they went the usual whispers, and people pointing at him and gawking at his scar followed Harry. It was almost a relief to know he was definitely back in a world where he belonged.

_Could also be the end, but it's not…_

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**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed, they were all so nice, especially after some horrible flames i received. there's only one more installment of this story and if i get lots of reviews it will be posted next time i check my emails, so if you wanna know how it really ends, review.

Becca


	11. Epilogue part 2: A Day of Firsts

**Epilogue Part 2: A Day of Firsts**

It was Lily's first birthday and so Harry and Ginny were throwing a party of special magnificence in their backyard. They had invited everyone, Georgie, Phillip and their two children, all of the Weasleys, all of the remaining order.

The sun was shining and there were no clouds in the sky, nothing to put a damper on Lily's special day. Ginny had spent weeks teaching Lily how to blow out candles, so that she would be able to for her cake. The cake itself was some of Molly's best work, it had "Happy 1st birthday Lily!" written in icing on the top, with charmed icing that glittered and shimmered in the sunlight, casting rainbows over Lily's face. There were two perfectly crafted lilies made out of sugar icing on top of pale pink icing. It was a spectacular sight that had to be seen to be believed, no description would ever do it justice.

As the afternoon wore on the party began to wind down, then just before everyone began to leave Harry stood up and caught the attention of the crowd. "Firstly I would like to thank all of you for coming along today and celebrating what is surely a day of firsts! Our beautiful Lily's first birthday!" Everyone cheered; he waited until the noise died down before continuing. "It is also the first anniversary of the reunion of the Weasley family!" another cheer went up from the Weasleys. "And-" Harry turned as he spoke…

"These are the first unaided steps I've taken since my accident, now eighteen months ago!" Ginny cried as she came to stand next to Harry, silent tears of joy flowing freely down her face. Everyone cheered again for Ginny and came over to give her their congratulations.

Later that evening, after Lily had gone to bed and all of the guests gone home, Harry and Ginny sat outside, both snuggled comfortably on Ginny's favourite sun lounge. Ginny leaned back into Harry's chest and whispered, "I love you Mr. Potter."

Harry tightened his grip on her slightly before replying; "I love you too, Mrs. Potter." And as he spoke he placed his hand over her slightly swollen abdomen, and sighed in contentment.

And so this is where we shall leave them, at that moment when everything is perfect…

_The End. (finally)_

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**A/N:** ok well thankyou to everyone who read this fic and hugs to everyone who reviewed! a few people asked about the fact that they dont use magic, well for starters Harry's in hiding or he was, and they were living as muggles. and to the one person who asked about the fate of Darren, he remained in muggle prison, until moved to a phsyciatric hospital due to his constant insistence that he was a wizard, he is due for release when a family member collects him, unfortunately nobody wants him.

Well that's all folks. now review this last chapter and watch for new comings from me.

Becca


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